Japan considers resuming tourism discount as COVID eases

Japan's government is considering resuming a national travel discount campaign as soon as late this month to help the tourism industry recover from a COVID-19 slump, the Nikkei newspaper said on Saturday.

A revived "Go To Travel" campaign would likely serve as a core measure to stimulate consumer demand, the business daily reported, without citing sources. Japan is set to ease border controls to let foreign tourists in from July 10 as coronavirus infections ease.

The government will decide on the campaign soon, the Nikkei said, without specifying time.

A sign for 'Go To Travel' campaign, a Japanese government-backed travel discount program encouraging domestic travel to help boost the economy, is displayed at a traditional rice crackers store along Nakamise Street at Asakusa district, a popular sightseeing spot, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Tokyo, Japan Oct 13, 2020. Reuters

Officials at the Japan Tourism Agency could not immediately be reached for comment outside business hours.

The campaign, rolled out in July 2020 just as COVID was gaining strength, subsidised half of the travel expense, up to 20,000 yen ($150) a night, for each traveller.

The programme helped boost tourism but was shelved five months later as the pandemic surged.